Caplinger recalls taking down shooter outside his bar

Even though the action packed morning is over, Caplinger is still worried about the aftermath. (Photo source: WLOX)

The shooter, Trey Tillery of Gulfport, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of aggravated assault and use of a deadly weapon. (Photo source: WLOX)

BAY ST. LOUIS, MS (WLOX) - Several gunshots rang out in the early morning hours in downtown Bay St. Louis. The incident left one man injured and another in custody. If it weren't for a local bar owner, the shooter would have gotten away before the police arrived.

It was instinct. Roger Caplinger heard gunshots outside his bar and what happened next came naturally.

"Bad guy. Got to get him. That's it," said Caplinger.

He is an ex-marine and has a past in law enforcement. Knowing how to handle the situation was second nature.

He heard the shots and bolted out of his bar to see a man injured on the sidewalk and another with a weapon running up Court Street.

"I was thinking if he was nutty enough to shoot the first guy, he'd probably be nutty enough to shoot other people, and I didn't think it was a good idea to let him get away," said Caplinger.

So, he and the bar's DJ, Jason Lombardo, took off down the street to catch the man. Before he was pinned to the ground, the gunman pulled the trigger one last time, barely missing Lombardo.

At that point, Caplinger took him to the ground and kept him there until police arrived. Even though the action packed morning is over, Caplinger is still worried about the aftermath.

"There's always a stigma attached to a shooting, that kind of thing, and they start thinking bad element and that sort of thing, and that's really not what took place here at all," said Caplinger.

He said this kind of thing can happen anywhere, and he doesn't want to see people turned away because of it.

"The last thing we need is knuckleheads doing that kind of thing," said Caplinger.

The shooter, Trey Tillery of Gulfport, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of aggravated assault and use of a deadly weapon.

Brandon Treadway, of Bay Saint Louis, was brought to Gulfport Memorial Hospital where he was treated for gunshot wounds to the foot and knee.

RECENT CONTENT

Normally, the election commission uses electronic polls books. But after issues came up during the general election with the electronic books not clearing the archives, it was decided to bring in the paper ones.